District Of Columbia Unemployment

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Work Search Requirements

In order to maintain eligibility for your RA benefits, you must make a proactive and conscious effort to obtain gainful employment. You need to keep track of your work search efforts and report specific details of each recorded search. You should provide as much detail about each work contact as possible, including:

  • dates and methods of contact with prospective employers
  • emails or website addresses
  • telephone numbers
  • any other means you used to make contact

You must supply this work search information each time you visit the CONNECT system to request payment of benefits (every two weeks). You must provide these details for each week you are claiming.

You are required to make at least five connections with prospects for employment during each claim week in order to meet the work search requirements in District Of Columbia. This means you must have a total of ten prospective work contact record details to enter when claiming bi-weekly benefits via CONNECT. Individuals living in smaller counties (75,000 or less) only have to submit three job search connections for each week of RA benefits they are claiming, or six job search connections bi-weekly.

Using the internet as your job search tool makes it easy to meet these requirements. You can achieve the best results by visiting the Employ District Of Columbia Marketplace website to make connections and submit applications. The website is District Of Columbia’s online job matching hub where you can search and connect with thousands of job listings and employers.

Unemployed? We want to help.

District Of Columbia Work Registration Program

District Of Columbia law mandates that ALL individuals applying to receive RA benefits must, unless otherwise excused, fulfill the Work Registration processes on the Employ District Of Columbia Marketplace website. You are required to do this PRIOR to receiving any unemployment benefits.

Employ District Of Columbia Marketplace

Once you reach the end of the RA application on the CONNECT system, it will direct you to the Employ District Of Columbia Marketplace, where you will sign in with your Social Security Number. Once you are signed in, complete your work registration signup by filling in all of the required information.

What You Need for Work Registration

  • Social Security number
  • Email address (if you don’t have one you will be asked to create one)
  • Education and employment history
  • Certifications or licenses
  • Establish an online resume

You should return to CONNECT once that information is completely entered to ensure you have successfully completed all requirements for RA application processing. Your application will NOT be processed without completing the Work Registration.

Employ District Of Columbia Marketplace is your go-to tool for work search requirements. Although using the Marketplace is a requirement of the DEO, the site has many tools, training, and tips anyone can take advantage of when seeking successful reemployment.